"Narratives of resource control and ownership in the Niger Delta have not adequately addressed its water crises, especially with respect to a newly emergent neoliberal water market, social justice, and development; instead,…
Latest posts - Page 47
Elections & Governance
Mediating Electoral Violence in a Polarized Society: The Case of Zimbabwe
by Admire Mare and Stanley Tsarwe
"Although the media...are expected to observe, investigate, and subsequently report news as objectively as possible, these institutions are powerful political and cultural actors, influenced by political and economic forces to take subjective positions. In a polarized environment such as Zimbabwe, they are not neutral arbiters of electoral information and images. Rather, the media carry the most basic characteristics of the journalism of war and violence: their reporting is propaganda oriented, elite oriented, and victory oriented."
Radar
President Buhari’s War Against Terror
by Idayat Hassan
"Despite whatever gains have been made, a cursory look at President Buhari’s first hundred days in office and the activities of his administration reveal an emphasis more on winning the battle than winning the war."
Elections & Governance
Peace at Stake in Burundi: Could the Crisis Escalate, and Is There a Way Out?
Viewpoint
APN Grantee on the Future of Democracy and Peace in West Africa
by African Peacebuilding Network
The following is an interview with APN 2013 grantee Professor Oluwafunmilayo J. Para-Mallam, on the sidelines of a policy dialogue jointly organized by the African Peacebuilding Network (APN), the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The event, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria, July 27–28, 2015, highlighted the current state of democracy, peace, and stability in West Africa. It also examined the role ECOWAS has played in the region and the challenges it faces, and offered practical suggestions to consolidating peace and democracy in the future.
AU-UN Cooperation
African Peace Support Operations: Sites for Deepening the United Nations’ Cooperation with Regional Organizations
by Dawit Yohannes Wondemagegnehu
"Against a backdrop of a dynamic and changing peace and security environment, the UN’s interaction with ROs is being redefined. Given the security realities of the continent, Africa is at the forefront of this historical dynamism, and African PSOs are instrumental in shaping the existing contours of the UN–RO relationship."
Essays
Redefining Peacekeeping: The Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo
by Martha Mutisi
"The coming together of the UN, AU, SADC, and ICGLR to conceptualize and operationalize the FIB demonstrates that hybridization in peacekeeping can work, especially if each intergovernmental organization is allowed to bring to the table its interoperable strengths. African countries provide the troops and equipment to form the brigade, while the UN provides the funding and logistical coordination. When peacekeeping operations are undertaken cooperatively, positive results are easier to achieve."
Essays
A Soft Power Approach to Eradicating Extremism in Africa
by Dan Kuwali
“Leaders, clerics, and scholars at all levels should devise effective strategies to tackle the root causes of extremism and terrorism. The idea is to cultivate a culture of peace, tolerance, and acceptance of unity in diversity, based on diverse African values.”